14 Maine Counties Designated for Drought Relief After USDA Disaster Declaration

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has opened federal disaster loans to 14 counties in Maine following a new natural disaster designation for the state's ongoing drought. The decision provides immediate financial access to agricultural producers, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations that have suffered operational losses during the dry spell.

Seven counties, including Cumberland, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, and Waldo, received the primary disaster area status. The USDA granted this status because the U.S. Drought Monitor recorded severe or extreme drought conditions in these areas for at least eight consecutive weeks during the growing season. Seven additional counties, Androscoggin, Franklin, Oxford, Penobscot, Somerset, Washington, and York, qualify as contiguous areas. These neighboring regions are also eligible for the same relief programs.

Farm Service Agency officials announced the availability of emergency loans in these 14 counties last week. These loans support specific needs such as replacing damaged equipment or livestock and refinancing existing debts. Agency staff will review applications by evaluating the extent of losses, available security, and the applicant's repayment capacity. The FSA also offers specialized assistance programs for livestock producers, orchards, and nurseries.

Tommy Higgins, the state executive director for the FSA in Maine, urged impacted producers to contact their local county office promptly. In a news release, Higgins stated that producers should report all crop, livestock, and infrastructure damages immediately. He advised operators to gather essential documentation, including farm records, herd inventories, receipts, and photographs of losses, before submitting applications.

The U.S. Small Business Administration announced on Monday that disaster loans are available to businesses and nonprofits in the eligible counties. These loans cover operational expenses incurred due to the drought since September 15. Eligible applicants include small businesses, agricultural cooperatives, aquaculture enterprises, private nonprofits, and faith-based organizations. The SBA made similar loans available to counties affected by the drought the previous year.

Applicants may qualify for loan amounts up to $2 million. Interest rates start at 4% for commercial entities and just over 3.6% for private nonprofit organizations. Borrowers are required to make no interest payments or principal payments during the first 12 months of the loan term. These loans carry terms of up to 30 years. Applications and additional information are available at sba.gov/disaster.

The current drought follows a pattern of recurring dry spells in Maine. A dry summer and fall in 2025 triggered a previous natural disaster declaration, but a rainy spring in 2026 temporarily subsided conditions. A subsequent dry summer caused the drought to return and intensify through the first half of this fall. Experts attribute the persistence of the drought to a lack of rainfall and the incomplete recovery of state groundwater from past dry periods.

The U.S. Drought Monitor's latest map, released Thursday, shows that more than 55% of the state is under at least severe drought. The entire state has experienced at least moderate drought conditions since September 15. The most severe impacts are concentrated along the coast, where areas from Cumberland to Hancock County have held an extreme designation since mid-September. A large portion of northern Maine was upgraded to severe drought status in early October, with additional central areas added to the designation list last week.